Sleeve finishers



Aug. 21, 1956 H. D. FoRsE ET AL 2,759,644

SLEEVE FINISHERS Filed Sept. 25, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS: flax-r, D. 7-31-68 BY Zv/m 4-. am be// 21, 1956 H. D. FORSE ET AL 2,759,644

SLEEVE FIN ISHERS s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1953 2 6 a 7 2 v m 2 w 4 x a m m M a c w 3 c w a 2 h B m 2 9 3 a o & c 8 3 2 h b 3 x z 9 w a 4 1 2 C 3 3 \2 2 I 7 x 6 [i 3 v I II Ill I ll I. 2 4

Aug. 21, 1956 H. D. FORSE ET AL 2,759,644

SLEEVE FINISHERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 25, 195-3 lOO INVENTORS:

Harry 2. Fir-5e United States Patent SLEEVE rnvrsrmns Harry D. Forse and Rollin E. Campbell, Anderson, Ind.; said Campbell assignor to said Forse Application September 25, 1953, Serial No. 382,274

Claims. (Cl. 223-73) The present invention relates to improvements in pressing tubular garment parts, especially garment legs and shirt sleeves, on pressing machines comprising a pair of bucks heated from the inside thereof. Sleeve-pressing machines of this type are known and described, for instance, in our co-pending patent application Ser. No. 200,556 filed December 13, 1950, and now abandoned, to which the present application is a continuation-in-part application. However, this type of pressing machines, which is materially simpler in construction than pressing machines according to which heated pressing chests are pressed from the outside against the garment on the bucks has, prior to our above referred to co-pending application Ser. No. 200,556, had the drawback that the gusset or placket portion of the sleeves, as well as the shoulder portions thereof, could not be properly pressed on such machines and therefore had to be pressed separately by other means.

In an effort to remedy this situation, there has been provided, as described in the above mentioned copending application, a sleeve press with two bucks heated from the inside which have associated therewith clamping means adapted automatically to become eifective in response to the bucks occupying their pressing position and to hold the gusset or placket portions of the sleeves taut and in firm contact with the bucks throughout the entire pressing operation, while automatically releasing said gusset or placket portions when the bucks are withdrawn from their pressing positions.

While the sleeve-finishing press of said copending application has brought about a considerable and important simplification in the sleeve-finishing art, it has been found that, although the shoulder portion of the respective sleeve was pulled downwardly by hand in order to straighten out the sleeve lengthwise, the appearance around the shoulder portion of the respective sleeve did not always turn out according to expectation.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention further to improve the machine set forth in our said co-pending application so as always to assure a proper finishing of the .sleeve from and including the gusset portion of the sleeve to and including the shoulder portion of said sleeve.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sleevepressing machine having a pair of bucks that may be heated internally and comprising means adapted in response to a movement of said bucks into pressing position automatically to make clamping means effective for holding and maintaining the cuffs and gussets of a shirt sleeve together during the entire pressing operation.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a pressing machine as set forth in the preceding paragraph, in which simultaneously with the gusset clamping means also shoulder clamping means become eifective for preventing the shoulder seam portions of the sleeve being pressed from creeping up the bucks.

Still another object of this invention consists in the provision of an improved sleeve-pressing method which Fee is simple, highly economical, and will result in a highly satisfactory appearance of the pressed sleeve.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly in section of an embodiment of a sleeve-pressing machine, according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows the pressing machine as seen in the direction of the arrow A of Fig. 1, the gusset shoe and shoulder clamp being omitted, and buck 2 being in pressing position.

Fig. 4 illustrates the pressing machine of Fig. 1 as seen in the direction of the arrow B, the blower and side panel at the base of the machine, and the gusset shoe and shoulder clamp being omitted.

Fig. 5 diagrammatically represents a pneumatic circuit for use in connection with the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a steam circuit for use in connection with the press according to the invention.

General arrangement The method according to the present invention, is characterized primarily by the steps of: placing the sleeve to be pressed upon a buck with the shoulder portion at the lower end of said buck and the cuff portion at the upper end of said buck, holding the cuff together while pulling downwardly on the shoulder portion of said sleeve so as to hold the said sleeve in taut condition, applying holding pressure simultaneously to the gusset portion of said sleeve and the shoulder portion thereof, applying heat to said sleeve from the inside thereof only while simultaneously subjecting said sleeve to pressure from the inside thereof so as to hold said sleeve completely taut to thereby press the sleeve, and maintaining said holding pressure throughout the pressing operation while pressing the entire sleeve including said gusset portion and the shoulder portion of said sleeve.

This method is preferably carried out by a sleeve press having a buck composed of two buck portions adapted to be spaced from each other and movable together from a work or sleeve-loading position into pressing position and adapted to be heated from the inside, while holding means are provided operable automatically in response to the movement of said buck into its press ing position to move toward said buck so as firmly to clamp desired portions of a sleeve placed on said buck against said buck and to remain in their clamping position throughout the pressing operation of said sleeve while permitting pressing of said clamped portion during said pressing operation.

Structural arrangement Referring now to the drawings in detail, the sleeve press shown therein comprises two bucks generally designated l and 2, each of which is composed of two buck portions la, lb and 2a, 21). Each of said buck portions is hollow so as to allow the insertion of heating means therefor. As will be seen from Fig. l, the buck por tion 1a is connected to an arm 3 by means of connecting bolts 4 and nuts 5. it is, of course, understood that any other means of connecting the buck portion 1a to the arm 3 may be employed. The arm 3 is connected in any convenient manner, for instance, by welding to a tubular member 6 which is journalled on a shaft 7 in any suitable manner. The shaft 7 may be rigidly connected to the base 8 of the machine. The arrangement is such that the tubular member or sleeve 6 is rotatable about the shaft 7 so that also the arm 3 connected to said tubular member and the buck portion 1a connected to the arm 3 is tiltable about the shaft 7. In order to strengthen the connection of the arm 3 with the tubular member 6, a brace 9 is provided which represents an additional connection between the arm 3 and the tubular member 6.

The tubular member 6 has connected thereto a pivot 19 to which is pivotally connected a two arm lever 11. The upper end of the lever 11 is pivotally connected by pivot 12 to the buck portion 11). The pivot 12 is preferably so located with regard to the buck portion 112 that the latter clue to its weight will always tend to occupy a substantially vertical position. Inasmuch as the lever 11 through pivot 16 is connected to the tubular member 6, it will be obvious that turning movement of the tubular member 6 will bring about a tilting movement of the buck portion 1b about the shaft 7 In other words, since both the buck portion 1a and the buck portion 112 are connected to the tubular member 6, tilting movement of one of the buck portions 1a, 1b about shaft '7 will automatically cause simultaneous and uniform tilting movement of the other buck portion.

The lower end of the lever 11 is pivotally connected by means of a pivot 12 with a cylinder generally designated 13 which may be of any desired construction. According to the specific embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the cylinder 13 comprises a base portion 14, a casing 15, and a cylinder head 16; a piston cup 17 inside said casing 15 is connected, e. g. by welding, to a piston rod 18 which extends through cylinder head 16 and is pivotally connected by pivot means 19 to a bracket 6a connected to the tubular member 6, for instance by welding. The cylinder head 16 and the base portion 14 are held together by tie rods 20. interposed between the cylinder head 16 and the piston cup 17 is a spring 21 which continuously urges the cylinder casing 15 to move rightwardly with regard to Fig. 1 to thereby continuously urge the lever 11 to turn in counter-clockwise direction with regard to Fig. 1 so as to hold the buck portion 1b in close proximity to the buck portion 1:1. It will be appreciated that when the buck portions 10, 1b tilt about the shaft 7, the cylinder casin 15 and the piston rod 18 likewise tilt about shaft 7.

The arrangement of the buck portions 2a and 2b fully corresponds to that of the buck portions in and 1b. In other words, also the buck portions 2a and 2b are connected to a tubular member or sleeve 22 (Fig. 3) which is rotatable about a shaft 23 mounted in the frame or base 8. However, it should be understood that the tubular member 22 is completely independent of the tubular member 6, so that the buck portions 241, 2b are shiftable independently of the buck portions 1:: and 1b. The buck portion 2b is, similar to the buck portion 112, connected to a lever 24 which will allow spacing of the buck portion 211 from the buck portion 211 by means of a cylinder arrangement 25 (see Fig. similar to the cylinder arrangement 13 described above. Connected to the tubular member 6, for instance, by welding is a downwardly extending arm 26 (Fig. 4) the lower end of which has a U-bolt 27 (Pig. 1) secured thereto. Adjustably held by said U-bolt is one end of a snubber strap 28 which is passed over bosses 29, 3t) permanently secured to the frame or base S, while the other end of the snubber strap is connected to a spring 31 which in turn is connected to a hook 352 fastened to the base or frame 8.

The downwardly extending arm 26 is furthermore engaged by one end of a spring 33 (Fig. 4), the other end of which is connected by a bolt 34 to the frame or base h. The spring 33 continuously ur es the buck portions 1a, 1b into the work or sleeve-loading and unloading position, and the purpose of the snubber strap arrangement Z8, 29, 3t), 31, 32 consists in dampening the retraction movement of the spring 33 when the buck portions are released from their pressing position and are retracted by spring 33 into the work or sleeve-loading and. un-

loading position. Also, the tubular member or sleeve 22 pertaining to the buck portions 20, 2b, is provided with a downwardly extending arm cooperating with a snubber strap arrangement and a retraction spring. These elements corresponding to the elements just described in connection with the buck portions 1a, 1b, are provided with the same reference numerals but with the affix c.

With reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the downwardly extending arm 260 has connected thereto an adjustable bolt 35 located below the shaft 23 and adapted, when the buck 2 occupies its pressing position, to engage and press inwardly a stem 36 of a valve 370 to thereby open the same. This valve 370, which is a conventional whistle valve, is normally held in closed position by a spring (not shown in the drawing) which continuously urges the stem 36 outwardly. The purpose of this valve 370 will be explained later. There is similarly provided a valve 37 (Fig. 5), corresponding to valve 37c, for cooperation with an adjustable bolt (not shown in the drawing) which corresponds to bolt 35 and is carried by the lower end of arm 26.

To allow an easy handling and tilting of the bucks I and 2, the respective buck portions 1a and 2a are provided with a handle or knob 38, 39 respectively. Secured to the inside face of the buck portions 1a and 2a by any convenient means, for instance, screws, are resilient spring wires 4t), the which extend outwardly between the respective buck portions 1a, 1b; 2a, 2b. Preferbaly, the flexible wires for each buck are so arranged that one buck portion carries one wire extending to one side of the buck while the adjacent buck portion carries the other wire extending to the other side of the same buck. Of course, it would also be possible to mount both wires of one buck on one and the same buck portion. These flexible wires, which may be forced inwardly by a relatively light pressure, take up the excess fullness in tapered sleeves which do not have a taper similar to the taper of the expanding bucks. It has been found that, while many sleeves fit perfectly on the expanded bucks, other sleeves not cut on a uniform taper and having extra fullness usually between the elbow and the cufi, require some sort of equalizing device since otherwise an imperfect finish will result. In this particular instance the said wires form the equalizing device, but it is, of course, understood that also other equalizing devices may be used.

Removably mounted on the top of base or frame 8 is a work-supporting table 41. Connected to the frame or base 8 in any convenient manner, for instance, by welding is an upwardly extending support 42, the upper end of which has secured thereto a forwardly extending plate 43. Mounted on said plate 43 is a double piston 44, each end of which has a groove 45 with an airsealing ring 46 mounted therein, only the right-hand end of double piston 44 with groove and ring therein being shown in Fig. 1. Slidably mounted on the double piston 44, which is stationarily arranged, is a pair of pressing shoes 47, 48; 47 being shown in section in Fig. 1. As will be seen from the right-hand side of Fig. 1, the shoe 47 comprises a cylinder portion 49, which acts ascylinder proper for the adjacent piston portion 44, and a shoe portion proper 50 which has a bleeder passage or opening 52 therethrough. The shoe portion proper 50 is covered with a resilient pad 53 such as a steel wool pad, one or more pieces of flannel or similar absorbent material 5'4 and a cover cloth 55. The purpose of the bleeder opening 52 consists in continuously passing a small amount of air from cylinder 49 through pad 53, material 54 and cloth 55 during the pressing operation, during which the shoe presses against the gusset or placketportion of the sleeve to be pressed. It will be appreciated that the air passing continuously through the shoe and the elements 53, 54 and 55 and being allowed to escape toward the, outside will dispel moisture in the pad and the elements 54 and 55. The pressing shoes 47, 48, which may also be called gusset or placket shoes, are preferably pneumatically actuated for pressing against the placket or gusset portion of the sleeve while the latter is being ironed. In addition thereto, they hold the bucks in their tilted or pressing position. Connected to the lower portions of the pressing shoes 47, 48 is a spring 56, and similar thereto a spring 57 interconnects the upper portions of the shoes 47, 48. The spring 57 passes through a tube 58 which is adjustably secured to the double piston 44 by means of a screw 59 so that the shoes can be properly aligned and maintained in alignment with the adjacent bucks.

Furthermore connected to the support 42 are holding means 60. To each side of said holding means there is connected in any convenient manner a cylinder 61, 62, respectively, having reciprocably mounted therein a piston 63, 64, respectively. The outermost end of said pistons is provided with 'a padding 65. These padded pistons 63, 64 are arranged near the lower portion of the bucks I and 2 for engagement with the shoulder seam area of a shirt sleeve to be pressed on said bucks. Also these pistons are preferably pneumatically operated and become cifective simultaneously with the pressing shoes 47, 48. Each of the pistons 63, 64 is provided with a retraction spring 66, 67 respectively, which will return said pistons to their retracted or non-engaging position when the pneumatic pressure in their cylinders subsides.

The bucks 1 and 2 are heated preferably up to a temperature in excess of 300 F. This heating may be effected electrically, by gas, or if steam is readily available, by steam, for instance, in the manner diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 6.

Steam circuit As will be seen from Fig. 6, steam from a source of supply enters the steam pipe 68 and then passes through conduit means 69 and flexible hoses 70, 71 into pipes 72, 73 extending into the buck portions 1a, 2a. As will be seen from Fig. 6, the pipes 72, 73 extend far upwardly into the buck portions 1a, 2a. The steam leaving the pipes 72, 73 then passes into pipes 74, 75 while during its passage therethrough heating the buck portions 1a, 2a. From pipes 74, 75 the steam passes through flexible pipes 76, 77 and pipes '79, 80 into the interior of the buck portions 1b, 2b and from there through pipes 81, 32, flexible connections 83, 84 into the conduit 85 and from there through outlet 86 to an exhaust.

Since some portions of the shirt sleeve do not contact the heated bucks 1a, 1b and 2a, 2b when the buck portions are expanded, the drying of such portions is, according to the present invention, accomplished by means of warm air supplied between the expanded buck portions 1, 1a and 2, 2a and inside the shirt sleeve. This warm air is supplied by a conventional type of blower 87 (Fig. 2) connected to a prime mover, for instance, an electric motor 88. This air is supplied to the inside of the frame or base 8, which is fully enclosed, and passes up the expanded bucks 1 and 2 through shrouds 89, 9th secured to the work-supporting table 41 through which large openings have been cut. Said shrouds are flexibly secured at 91 to the lower ends of the bucks 1 and 2.

In order to prevent the warm air blown up between the buck portions of each buck from leaving through the upper open sleeve or cuff end instead of through those portions of the shirt sleeve which are not contacted by the heated buck portions, each buck is, according to the present invention, provided with a pair of closure elements. These closure elements (shown only in connection with buck 1) preferably consist of resilient flexible metal sheet tabs 112a, 1121') connected in any convenient manner to the upper end of the respective buck portions and resiliently engaging each other as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Permanently mounted on the inside of the base or rame 8 are valves 92, 93 (Figs. 1, 3), which are whistle valves and are similar in design to the whistle valves 37, 37c. A foot pedal 94, having an extended portion 95, is pivotally connected at 96 to the frame or base 8. The rear end of said extended portion carries a compression spring 97, which normally holds the foot pedal 94 in the position shown in Fig. 3, in which a knob 98 is out of engagement with the valve 93 so that the latter is closed, while another knob 99 on the extended portion 95 is in engagement with the valve stem of the valve 92 so as to maintain the same in open position. The valve 92 is the inlet valve, whereas the valve 93 is the outlet valve.

The complete pneumatic circuit will best be seen from Fig. 5.

Pneumatic circuit The pneumatic circuit as shown in Fig. 5 comprises a pressure regulator or adjustable choke 100,,which receives air under pressure from any convenient source through conduit 101. The pressure regulator 100 communicates through pipe 102 with an air gauge 103, which latter communicates through a pipe 104 with the air valve 92. This valve 92, as stated above, is open when the press is idle, i. e. when the foot pedal 94 occupies Fig. 3 position. The valve 92 communicates through a pipe 165'; with the air discharge valve 93, which is closed when the press is idle, i. e. when the foot pedal 94 occupies Fig. 3 position. Branching oii from the pipe 105 is a pipe 166 leading to a connecting piece 106a and from there to the cylinders of the bucks 1 and 2, respectively. More specifically, the pipe 1136:) leads to the air valve 37, which is closed when buck 1 does not occupy its pressing position. From the air valve 37 a conduit 107 leads to a distributing point 108 from which a pipe 109 leads to the placket shoe cylinder piston system 47, 49 for buck 1. Furthermore, a conduit 116) leads to the shoulder seam clamping cylinder piston systems 61, 63. A further pipe 111 leads from the distributing point 108 to the cylinder 13 for actuation of the lever 11. While the thus described circuit covers the pneumatic circuit for the buck 1, a corresponding circuit is shown for the buck 2 which will be self-explanatory. The circuit, Which will be described only in connection with the operation of the buck 1, operates in the following manner: when the press is idle, i. c. When buck 1 is in the work or sleeve-loading position, air pressure stands in pipes 101, res and 166. As soon as the buck has been loaded and is tilted into its pressing position, the downwardly extending arm 26 through the adjustable bolt mounted thereon (similar to the adjustable bolt 35) opens the valve 37 so that now air under pressure rushes into the cylinders 49, 61 and 13 at substantially one and the same time, thereby actuating the placket or gusset shoe 47, the shoulder clamp piston 63 and the expander lever 11, which latter expands or spaces the buck portions 1 and 1a from-each other.

If desired, the downwardly extending arms 26, 26c may also be provided with a knob or the like (similar to bolt 35) which, when the respective buck is in pressing position, will close the circuitfor the blower 87 so as to start the same. Of course, if desired, the blower may also be started by manual actuation of a separate switch.

Operation the operator first prepares one sleeve for the pressing step, say e. g. the sleeve on buck 1. To this end the In order to effect operator holds the cuff together, preferably with fingers of the right hand While resting the palm on knob 38. The cuff is held together in such a position that the gusset portion will face the respective pressing shoe 4-7 when buck 1 is tilted into its pressing position. While holding the cufi together, the operator pulls down on the sleeve preferably with the left hand so as to maintain the sleeve in taut position. While doing so, the operator pushes against the knob 38 so as to tilt buck 1 into its pressing position which is marked by an abutment not shown in the drawing. As soon as buck 1 reaches its pressing position, the downwardly extending arm 26 of this buck actuates the adjacent valve 37 so that the latter opens and practically simultaneously admits air to the cylinders 49, 61 and 13 thereby causing the gusset shoe 47 to hold the gusset portion together and in contact with buck 1 while the shoulder seam clamping shoe 63 engages the shoulder seam area so that the latter is firmly pressed against buck 1 and the sleeve is maintained in taut position. The pressure exerted by shoe 47 upon buck 1 is sufiicient to hold the buck in its clamping position against the force of the spring 33. Simultaneously, the lever 11 spaces the buck portions in and lb from each other so that both buck portions hold the sleeve in proper and tight position. If the sleeve should have some additional fullness, said fullness will be held taut by the resilient spring wires 40.

As soon as one buck is in its pressing position, the operator prepares the other sleeve on the other buck by going through the same procedure with regard to buck 2 and the sleeve thereon as has been described with respect to buck 1 and the sleeve on the latter. Inasmuch as the buck portions are heated, it will be apparent that the sleeves will now be pressed or finished. The heat may be turned on manually when both bucks are in their pressing positions and may be left turned on throughout the working time, or may be turned off at the end of each pressing operation. If desired, the heat may be turned on automatically in response to a controlling thermostat whenever the temperature of the bucks drops below a predetermined degree. Inasmuch as such thermostatic controls are well-known in the art, they have not been illustrated in the drawing.

When the sleeves have been pressed properly, the operator presses down on the foot pedal 94 so that valve 92 will be closed and valve 93 will be opened. As the result thereof, the supply of air pressure is cut 03 and the air from the gusset shoe cylinders, the shoulder seam shoe cylinders and the expander cylinders is released and passed to an exhaust while the springs associated with said cylinders retract the respective shoes or pistons. Thus, the clamping pressure exerted by the shoes is released so that the springs 33, 33c will tilt the bucks back into loading position. As soon as the bucks have reached this position, the operator releases the foot pedal 94, and removes the sleeves from the bucks which may now be loaded with another pair of sleeves.

It is, of course, understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the specific structures shown in the drawings but also comprises any modification within the scope of'the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A sleeve-finishing machine comprising in combination: a frame, an expandable sleeve form supported by said frame and composed of a first form portion and a second form portion supplementary to each other for receiving a sleeve to be pressed, means associated with said form for heating the same from the interior thereof, said first and second form portions being tiltable in unison with each other selectively from a sleeve-loading position into a sleeve-pressing position and vice versa, said second form portion being movable additionally toward and away from said first form portion, fiuid operable actuating means supported by said frame for moving said second form portion away from said first form portion to thereby expand said sleeve form, yieldable means operatively connected with said second sleeve form for con! tinuously urging the same toward said first sleeve form, spring wire means arranged between said two form. portions and connected to at least one of said form portions, said spring wire means being compressible and having the tendency to protrude laterally of said form portions, supporting means supported by said frame and arranged adjacent said sleeve form, and fluid operable clamping means arranged adjacent at least one end portion of said form and supported by said supporting means so as to be movable in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said form and being operable automatically in response to the tilting of said form into said sleeve pressi gposition to hold said form in said pressing position and to clamp and press a portion of a sleeve placed on said form between the latter and said clamping means.

2. A method of finishing tubular garment parts having a cuif and gusset portion, especially shirt sleeves, upon a sleeve form, which includes the steps of: placing the sleeve to be finished upon said sleeve form with the shoulder portion at the lower end of said form and the cuif at the upper end of said form, holding the cult together while pulling downwardly on the shoulder portion of said sleeve so as to hold the sleeve in taut condition, holding together and pressing the split portion of the gusset only while expanding the remaining portion of said gusset, substantially therewith simultaneously subjecting said sleeve to pressure from the inside thereof so as to hold said sleeve completely taut, and applying to substantially all of the sleeve heat from the inside thereof only while maintaining said gusset portion pressed from the outside against said form during the entire period of time during which said sleeve is subjected to pressure from the inside thereof.

3. A method of finishing tubular garment parts, having a cuff and gusset portion, especially shirt sleeves, upon a sleeve form, which includes the steps of: placing the sleeve to be finished upon said sleeve form with the shoulder portion at the lower end of said form and the cufi at the upper end of said form; holding the cuff together while pulling downwardly on the shoulder portion of said sleeve so as to hold the sleeve in taut condition; applying holding pressure from the outside of said sleeve simultaneously to the gusset portion of said sleeve and the shoulder portion thereof only; applying heat to said sleeve from the inside thereof only, while simultaneously subjecting said sleeve to pressure from the inside thereof so as to hold said sleeve completely taut to thereby press the sleeve; and maintaining the pressure upon said gusset portion and said shoulder portion of said sleeve throughout the entire pressing operation.

4. A method of finishing tubular garment parts, especially shirt sleeves, on two sleeve form portions supplementary to each other, which includes the steps of: placing the sleeve to be finished upon said two sleeve form portions with the shoulder portion at the lower end of said form portions and the cuff at the upper end of said form portions, holding the cuff together while pulling downwardly on the shoulder portion of said sleeve so as to hold the sleeve in taut condition, holding together and pressing the split portion of the gusset only while expanding the remaining portion of said gusset, applying heat to said sleeve from the inside thereof only, and additionally blowing hot air into the space between said form portions while forcing said hotair to pass through those sleeve portions between said gusset and said shoulder portion which are not in contact with said form portions.

5. A sleeve finishing machine comprising in combination: a frame, an expandable sleeve form having two component buck sections supplementary to each other for receiving a sleeve to be pressed, means associated with said form for heating the same from the interior thereof, both buck sections being pivotally supported by said frame so as to be tiltable in unison with each other along a first plane selectively from a first position into a second position and vice versa, said buck sections also being tiltable relative to each other along a second plane substantially perpendicular to said first plane, supporting means stationarily supported by said frame and arranged adjacent said sleeve form, and fluid operable gusset clamping means movable into contact with a portion only of only the upper end of said sleeve form, said clamping means being supported by said supporting means and being operable automatically in response to the movement of said sleeve form from said first position into said second position to move in a substantially straight direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said form for clamping and pressing the gusset portion of a sleeve placed on said form between the latter and said clamping means while simultaneously locking said sleeve form in said second position.

6. A sleeve finishing machine comprising in combination: a frame, an expandable sleeve form having two component buck sections supplementary to each other for receiving a sleeve to be pressed, means associated with said form for heating the same from the interior thereof, both buck sections being pivotally supported by said frame and being tiltable in unison with each other along one plane selectively from a loading position into a pressing position and vice versa, one of said component buck sections also being tiltable in a direction transverse to said one plane, supporting means stationarily supported by said frame and arranged adjacent said sleeve form, a first fluid operable clamping shoe movable into contact with a portion only of only the upper end of said sleeve form and supported by said supporting means, and a second fluid operable clamping shoe movable into contact with the lower portion only of said form and supported by said supporting means, each of said shoes being movable along a straight path only in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said form for clamping and pressing the respective adjacent gusset portion and shoulder seam area of a sleeve placed on said form between said form and the respective shoe, said first shoe being operable simultaneously with said clamping and pressing of said gusset portion to hold said form in said pressing position.

7. A sleeve finishing machine comprising in combination: a frame, an expandable sleeve form having two component buck sections supplementary to each other for receiving a sleeve to be pressed, means associated with said form for heating the same from the interior thereof, both buck sections being pivotally supported by said frame and being tiltable selectively from a loading position into a pressing position and vice versa, supporting means stationarily supported by said frame and arranged adjacent said sleeve form, .a clamping shoe arranged adjacent the upper portion of said form and movable into contact with a portion only of only the upper end of said sleeve form, a fluid operable cylinder piston arrangement operatively connected to and supporting said shoe and being supported by said supporting means, said cylinder piston arrangement being operable automatically in response to the movement of said sleeve form from said loading position into said pressing position to move said shoe in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said form for clamping the gusset portion of a sleeve placed on said form between the latter and said clamping shoe and simultaneously holding said sleeve form in said pressing position, said clamping shoe including a bleeder passage establishing restricted fluid communication between the interior of said cylinder piston arrangement and the outside of said shoe through the latter to aid in pressing and drying said gusset portion.

8. A sleeve finishing machine comprising in combination: a frame, an expandable sleeve form composed of a first form portion and a second form portion supplementary to each other for receiving a sleeve to be pressed, means associated with said form for heating the same from the interior thereof, both form portions being tiltable in unison with each other from a loading position into a sleeve pressing position and vice versa, supporting means supported by said frame and arranged adjacent said sleeve form, said first form portion being tiltable along a first plane only toward said supporting means into said pressing position and away from said supporting means into said loading position, said second form portion being tiltable along said first plane toward and away from said supporting means into said pressing and loading positions respectively and also being tiltable along a second plane substantially transverse to said first plane for holding a sleeve on said form in taut condition, and fluid operable clamping means arranged for contact with one end section only of said first form portion for exerting pressure upon said first form portion only and simultaneously holding said form in said pressing position, said first form portion being closer to said clamping means than said second form portion when said form occupies its pressing position.

9. A sleeve finishing machine comprising in combination: a frame, an expandable sleeve form composed of a first and a second form portion supplementary to each other for receiving a sleeve to be pressed, said sleeve form being pivotally supported by said frame, means associated with said sleeve form for heating the same from the interior thereof, said form portions being tiltable in unison with each other selectively from a loading position into a sleeve pressing position and vice versa, supporting means supported by said frame and arranged adjacent said sleeve form, fluid operable gusset clamping means arranged adjacent the upper portion of said form and supported by said supporting means so as to be movable in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said form, said clamping means being operable both to clamp the gusset portion of a sleeve placed on said form between said form and said clamping means when said form is in said pressing position and to hold said sleeve form in said pressing position, a fluid operable shoulder area clamping means separate from said fluid operable gusset clamping means and supported by said supporting means, said fluid operable shoulder area clamping means being movable in a direction at least nearly transverse to the longitudinal axis of said form for clamping the shoulder seam area on said sleeve against said form, valve means arranged for receiving pressure fluid, said valve means being operable automatically in response to said form occupying said pressing position to effect fluid communication between said valve means and said gusset clamping means and said shoulder seam clamping means.

10. A sleeve finishing machine comprising in combination: a frame, an expandable sleeve form composed of a first form portion and a second form portion supplementary to each other for receiving a sleeve to be pressed, means associated with said form for heating the same from the interior thereof, said form portions being tiltable in unison with each other along a first plane from a loading position into a sleeve pressing position, said form portions also being movable relative to each other along a second plane transverse to said first plane, first fluid operable cylinder piston means operatively connected to said form portions and operable selectively to space said form portions from each other along said second plane, two resilient flexible tab means respectively connected to the upper ends of said form portions and engaging each other so as to bridge the space between said form portions near the upper ends thereof, blower means supported by said frame for blowing hot air into the space between said form portions, means pivotally connecting said form por- 11 tions with said frame to allow tilting movement of said sleeve form from said loading into said pressing position and vice versa, supporting means supported by said frame and arranged adjacent said sleeve form, reciprocable clamping means arranged adjacent the upper portions of said form and supported by said supporting means so as to be movable in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said form when the latter occupies its pressing position, and second fluid operable cylinder piston means separate from said first fluid operable cylinder piston means and operatively connected to said clamping means for moving said clamping means into clamping position to hold said form in its pressing position and simultaneously to press the gusset portion of a sleeve placed on said form against the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,278,959 Williams Apr. 7, 1942 2,375,947 Robbel May 15, 1945 2,495,281 Pearson Jan. 24, 1950 2,516,054 Forse et al. July 18, 1950 2,667,291 Petrich Jan. 26, 1954 2,687,241 Maxwell et al Aug. 24, 1954 

